New Knees, New Outlook

Billie Jean King on her tennis past, her health’s future

Billie Jean King has leveraged her status as an elite athlete to advocate for equal rights for regular people, particularly for women. — Photo by Tom Williams/Roll Call/Getty Images

Professional athletes-- as well as weekend warriors-- often end up needing knee replacement surgery. Tennis great Billie Jean King, 68, won 39 Grand Slam titles and defeated Bobby Riggs in the famous 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" match. But when she found herself taking a cab two blocks to the gym, she decided it was time to undergo the dreaded procedure. King and Prime Time Radio host Mike Cuthbert-- a knee-surgery veteran himself-- discuss King's storied career, her recovery and what it means for her game.